1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to plastic recycling and more particularly to a new and improved method and apparatus for separating and recycling plastic from plastic parts.
2. Description of Prior Art
Plastic is the most common material being used for industrial products. It is used in a wide variety of products, for example, for its light-in-weight property and durability. As a result, plastic waste is large in amount and causes a serious problem of environmental protection. In order to reduce the cost of material and mitigate environmental pollution, it is desirable that the plastic waste can be recycled.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,042 discloses a preparatory machine for recycling having a first washing device, a second washing device, a drying device, and a collecting device. Pieces of material are washed with detergent-added water in the first cleaning device. Pieces of material then transported to the second washing device by a conveyor screw. The pieces of material are then washed with water in the second washing device. The pieces of material are then dried in the drying device. The dried pieces of material are then collected with the collecting device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,870 discloses a method and apparatus for recycling foamed polystyrene from municipal solid waste and more particularly, from fast food restaurant waste. A steady stream of waste is delivered to a flail mill for reducing particle size, a rotary trammel for eliminating undersized waste and a rotary air classifier for removing "heavy" waste from the stream. At this point, the waste stream comprises mostly paper and foamed polystyrene. The paper and foamed polystyrene are delivered to a water pulper which fiberizes the paper so that it can then be separated from the foamed polystyrene by passing it through a screen of selected mesh size to allow the water and paper pulp to pass through while retaining the foamed polystyrene.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,188 discloses plastics fragments including polyethylene terephthalate and polyolefins derived from comminution of containers such as beverage bottles are segregated according to specific gravity by flotation. The flotation liquid includes a surfactant to facilitate complete separation of the light and heavy plastic fractions from one another. The surfactant may be a residue of a detergent used to wash the flakes and remove contaminants therefrom. Rinsing prior to flotation separation is controlled so as to leave the desired detergent residue leading to a marked reduction in rinse water requirements.
The following U.S. Patents are also believed to exemplify the present state of the art with respect to plastic separation and recycling methods and apparatus: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,911,730; 3,811,148; 4,106,705; 4,719,933; 4,844,351; 5,115,987; and 5,133,249.
While such prior art devices provide improvement in the areas intended, there still exists a need for a new and improved method and apparatus for separating and recycling plastics which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art while providing utility features which provide new and useful advantages and improvements not heretofore disclosed.
Accordingly a principle desirable object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for separating and recycling plastics which overcomes some or all of the disadvantages of the prior art devices.
Another desirable object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus capable of crushing the plastic parts into selected size pieces.
Another desirable object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which has a grinding system for reducing the plastic parts to small pellets.
Another desirable object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which has an aspiration system for removing small fines and loose labels that are mixed with the plastic pellets.
Another desirable object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for recycling the plastic pellets which has a cleaning device for cleaning the plastic pellets.
Another desirable object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for recycling the plastic pellets which has a drying device for drying the plastic pellets.
These and other desirable objects of the invention will in part appear hereinafter and will in part become apparent after consideration of the specification with reference to the accompanying drawings and the claims.